Method of packing and unpacking wall tile



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July 9, 1935. H. S. MCELROY METHOD oF PACKING AND UNPAGKING WALL TILE Filed ug. 8,

2 Sheets-Sheet l './l'ig'fl 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. s. MCELROY Filed Aug. 8,

METHOD OF PACKING AND UNPACKI'NG WALL TILE `itV imperative thatpacking Vtake place near the Patented July 9," 1935 UNITED4v s'tliiTl-EjslA OFFICE-,Ziff

t t 2,001,808 f METHOD oF! VPnollird AoKING f WALL 'ruin ,t Y

Harold s. McElroy, Philadelphia, Pa. n Applicatin August (s, 1933, seniifNq. 684,261 9 claims. (ol, y72 0.5)

Wall tile, according to present practices, is packed either in barrels or corrugated paper cartons, both of which kinds of packings have certain disadvantages. l

in layers, standing on edge, andA betweenl suc-A cessive layers shavings are placed, as also between the tile and the inner surface of the barrel, to prevent breakage and chipping. Barrel packing is the lowest cost of packaging but it is objectionable because of weight which approximates -two hundred seventy pounds for sixty-'two and onehalf squarev feet of tile in a single barrel. The weight makes -it inconvenient to truck and. carry `the barrels into the upper stories ofbuildings undergoing construction and -tWo men are usually required for handling, which is frequentlyv in -L convenient. 1

When double Wall corrugated-paper cartons are used as containers for ti1e the usual package, while weighing approximately sixty-ve pounds, contains only fteen square feet of tile,-the in1 terior of the carton being sub-divided into small compartments for the tile, each compartments holding two tiles, the object being toprevent chipping and breakage.

While cartons for this purpose are` easily handled by one man, and readily opened with out requiring tools, because the packagevis closed by gluing the flaps together, permitting ready separation, nevertheless this `kind cfa package of tile is easily picked up and carried away by persons around the building operation and the loss from this source on a large job is so great' that the largerrbuyers in big cities frequentlvyrwill not permit tile to be shippedto them except in barrels. Other disadvantages of packing tile in cartons are tendency ofthe car-ton to shrinkage with age, and loss of strength and shape upon drying out after beingsubject to water or dampness. In consequence, tile packed in cartons and held in storage for long periods will fall over if lin stacks because'of warping, resulting in unsatisfactory appearance to customers. Il?r tile are packed in cartons, the foregoing conditions make,

time of shipment.

ordinary glazed wall tile is notV first soakedn weiten-usually for a period of about an hour,to

permitthe individual tiles to absorb 'moisturai Y 'they will, when placed in themortar :bed with-1 out soaking, absorb moisture, fromthe mortar bed, resulting 4in improper setting andloosening of the tile when the mortar hardens,-vforit,is well-known that if a sufficient quantity of Water .5 is lnot .presentduring the setting or hardening Y f l period,` the tile Vwillnot remainfasiu When packed in a barrel, the tile are arranged Y The' average glazed wall tile has a moisture absorption'of. about twelve per cent, if soaked in Water for. about one` hour. Special glazedV vitreous and .glazed semi-vitreous tile have been produced, at higher manufacturing cost: and higherv installation cost than the ordinarywhiteivv and colored yglazed wall; tile although having the advantage of a moisture absorption of only one, per cent to ve per cent.

The necessity for soaking ordinary glazedwall tile before the tile setter applies it tofthe mortar.

. bed, is here mentioned to emphasize the advan tagesofmy method of packing tile and improved crate-in connection` wi-thwhich the method is practiced, 'as contrasted with carrying on the f soaking step for tile after unpacking from barrelsv and cartons, as will presently appear.

Assuming that .the tile has been packed in barrels, transported to the point wherethe tilesetteris at Work, the tile setters helper unpacks' the barrels and cleans the shavings from the face of .thetileandthen places the tile in a more or less hap-hazard manner in a soaking tub which is usually an ordinary metal wash tub. 'I'he commonV practice issnot to carefullyplace Vthe tile.;4 in rows in the soaking tub but to lay them in superposed 1ayers. with the backs of 'the tile undermost and .their faces uppermost. This step, ofplacing the tile for soaking and removing them in about an hour, frequently results in scratching i marring; and chipping of the tile.

After. soaking; the tile setters helpereitherl Y the\tile,rremoving the shavings, soaking the-ftile Manufacturers and tile Setters know that if the:

and transporting it to the tile setter, consumes considerable time, adding to. the expense of tileA settingf y; :V

; v'I'hexpresent invention has for its general ob# vjects the provision of an improved method "o'ff` packing Wall tile, whether of square or of oblong shapafand of `an improved. crate in Whichthetile is packed according to said method, which will enable the packed crates to be stacked and kept in the warehouse as long as desired, with facility for inspection of the tile when in storage, and for easy stacking and unstacking of the crates, eliminate the disadvantages previously described having tc do with packing tile in barrels and cartons, obviate the necessity of removing the tile from the container for soaking and enable the packed tile to `be soaked'inythe soaking tub while remaining in its packed condition in the crate, and the crate and soaked tile contained therein to be subsequently bodily carried to the tile setter for easy unpacking `by him', when setting the tile, thus eliminating unpacking, soaking, carrying, and re-stacking bythehelper-as independent steps, and to minimize damageV to,

and loss of, the tile by reason of chipping 'and breaking. Y

'I'he method of packing sub-divides the interior of the crate so that the tile is arranged in groups between which are partitions or removable spac.

ers, there also being provided top and bottom and side and end liners located betweenthecomplete body of tile and the inner walls.; of vthecrate, said liners being removed prior to immersion of the crate and its tile contents inthe soaking'tub,

which step exposesV the ribbed backs and edges of the tile to the water so that the .ftile may. absorb msture from the water inthe soaking tub.

If the tile be packed in more than fone layer, as will be the case with the smaller sizes o f square tile, spacers are interposed betweenthe edges of the respective layers .but these are allowed to remain for the soaking operation as they permit the water to have access to the edges of. the tile.

'I'he spacers, partitions, and liners preferably are of corrugated paper to. afford a suitable cushioning to protect the tile while being moved or transported but other vmaterials may be used.

The method of packing includes the provision.

The method of packing, using spacers, and liners, not only minimizeschipping and breakage during packing and transportation but their removal prior to subjecting the packed crate to soaking, provides the necessaryfspace fory loosening of the tile to permit access of the water to the backs and edges of the tile. The tile, being relatively closely packed, would not'be' suinciently separated to enable the. water: to have proper access thereto while remaining in the.

crate, except for the additional space .between the tile which results whenthe partitions, spacers, and liners are removed.

The crate is of wood and holds more tile than -does the ordinary carton, to which reference has heretofore been made, and yet'it is lighter than a barrel of tile. It'can be handled readllyby'one f man and yet is not soeasily stolen from the building. Being of wood,.the crate does not lose itsA shape, split open or otherwise develop defects as do cartons.

structed from end `to end, fthe strips or lboards running the full length thereof. .v Theitopof'- the crate has cross battensatv itsv ends andthetop slats stop short of said battens so that theends of these top boardslor slats lie flush with'the 'tops o! the endbattens.

color varies in subsequent manufacture.

slats placed in position without nailing and left in that condition until the time of shipment, whereas the bottom slats or boards are nailed tight. At any time during the storage period, the top slats can be lifted and the tile which has been packed in the crate according to my improved method may be examined and compared for shade. This is quite advantageous, due to the fact that one of the difiiculties in the manufacture of wall tile is the maintenance of uniform shades of a given color. The shade of a given n Therefore, it is a decided advantage to be able to compare material and stock of one color with the same color made at a later date, in a quick and convenient manner.

The sides of the crate are made of slats or boards with intervening spaces which allow ready entrance of the Water to the tile when the packed crate is placed in the soaking tub.

VThe bottom of the crate being of the construction previously specified, and the top of the crate having no projecting parts, as heretofore explained, the packed crates will slide smoothly, one on the other, and will stack easily and maintain their position.

I am aware that wooden crates have heretofore been used as containers for shipment of quarry tile and terra cotta but, so far as I know, such crates have had no distinctive features, have not been packed according to any method which will permit the soaking of the tile while packed in the crate, and have only been used as mere shipping containers and not immersed in Water.

I am also aware that modification may be resorted to in my improved method and crate without departing from the essential steps and features thereof. It is to be understood, therefore, that the embodiments of the invention which are hereinafter described and which are shown in the accompanying drawings, showing the crate and the method of packing for two different sizes of tile respectively packed in two layers and in one layer, may be modified to meet the requirements of the particular tile requiring packing, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

' In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a packed crate of square tile;

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a cross section thereof, on line 3 3, Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a view like Fig. 1, the top of the crate being removed and the top liner broken away;

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5 5, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective, broken away, with omissions;

Fig. -7 is a plan view, the top slats being removed;

Fig. 8 is a similar view, the top slats being nailed;

Fig. 9 is a side view, showing the crates stacked;

Fig. l0 is a plan view, the top slats and liner being removed, exposing the liners and partitions for withdrawal;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view, showing the crate Y f in position for unpacking, after soaking; The bottom of. the crate issmoothand unobf Fig. 12 is a plan view of a modification wherein elongated tile are packed, the top being removed and liner broken away; and

' Fig. 13 is a cross section of Fig. 12.

Referring rst to Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, the packing il lustrated is, by Way of example, for the smaller size of square tile, for instance tile measuring four and one-fourth inches by four and onefourth inches. In this embodiment and practice ofthe method, the tiles are in two'layers, Whereas in Figs.. 12 and13, where elongated, oblong, or larger square tiles are to be packed, forjinstance six by three inch orsix by six inch tiles, the .tiles are packed in only one layer butthe method of packing, soaking, andunpacking is the same.

The bottom of the crate comprisesv slats `or boards I nailed to the ends 2 and extended beyond said ends and nailed to a cross-hatten 3. The sides 4 havevertical'battensi and sai battens and the sides are nailed tothe ends I2.

The upper cross battens 6' are `nailed to the ends 2 and said battens and the battens 3Y have ends 1 which projectA beyond the ledgesof the crate ends Zand extend in overlappedrelationship to the ends of the sides 4 and vertical battens `5.

The slats or boards comprising theybottom I and` sides 4 are separated or spaced apart vto enable the Water inthe soaking tub topass through and reachV all parts of the tile when the packed crate is undergoing the step of soaking but itis not necessary for thev ends 2 to be open as they cover only the edges of the end tilesconstituting the packed contents of the crate. V Y v The upper battens 6, the vupper ends of the vertical battens 5, vand theupper parts of the uppermost side slats 4 project above the upperedges of the ends 2, enabling theitop slats or boards to lie flush with said upper edges of said parts when the top slats 8 are nailed to the,

upper edges of the ends 2.

The fact that the bottom slats or tend, the full length of the crate and to the faces of the lower cross battens and that the slats 8 of the top are flush with the tops of the upper side slats 4 and upper edges ofA the vertical battens 5 and cross battens 6, provides unobstructed,

smoothlsurfaces at the bottom and topv of the crate which is of great advantage in connection with stacking the packed cratesoneon top of the other and permitting their ready'removal for inspection of the packed tile 'for shipment, as inFigs.7and9. I.

It will be understood, however, that-after the crates have been packed accordingto my improvedmethod hereinafter described, the4 tcp comprising the slats 8 is .not initiallynailed vto. the ends 2 but said slats are simply loosely placed in position withV their ends abutting the upper cross batten 6. tained in position because they are sunk below the upper edge of the crate. As these slatsr rest upon the upper edges of the ends 2 and as they cannot be displaced from the top of the packed crate, they constitute a rigid support for the packed crate which is immediately above, permitting stacking and sliding as desired, and yet these top slats can be readily removed while the packed crate is in the warehouse and when it is desired tov inspect the tile in any crate for the purpose of comparing the material and stock` of one color with tile of the same colormade at a later date. This is quite advantageous, dueto the fact that one of the diiliculties encountered in the manufacture of glazed tile. is themaintenance of uniform shades of a color, as the shade of a given color varies in subsequent manu-y 1 soaking,`the topslats 8 are `removedand,certain boards I ex-V steps. taken in connection with the tile, as will beA described hereinafter. .f f The method oiV packing the tile in the crate is as follows: A- sheet Vof suitable or .corrugated paper 9 `is placed within the crate on the bottom rslats I and constitutes a covering for the inside bottom surface of. said'crate.

The side walls. of the crate are lined with suit-j able .orcorrugated paper sheets I and the end walls .with similar sheets Il. The sheets IIJ andv II completely cover the interior of the side and ends wallsand sheets I0 bridge the openings or.

spaces I2 .between the slats or boards 4 just as.

thebottom .Sheet 9 bridges the open space I3 between thebottom slats I. g The bottom sheet 9, side sheets .I0 and end sheets II constitute .aliner for the crate which protects and encloses the packing of tile, except for. the top of 'said tiles which, are covered and protected by a top suitable or corrugated sheet Mwhich liesbelow the top slats 8 and completely, covers the body of `packed tile. vTheupper edges of the sheets I0 and II project slightly above the packed tile at I0', II' so that they may be conveniently grasped and Withdrawn just prior-to the step of placing the crate in the water for. soaking.

,Having placed the sheets I0, II in position to line the crate, the lower layer of the tile I is packed,.standing on the sheet 9 in groups of ten, more or less, with their ribs I5 on their` backs disposed in a horizontal position. Suitable or corrugated paper board partitions I6 extending .pair of groups of the lower layer-and the packing then proceeds in respect to the upper layer of tile I5; The strips I8 are narrower than vthe width of the tile and they remain in position during `the soaking operation without interfering Awith the. circulation of the water, as will shortly be described. The strips or spacers I8 extend cross-wise of the crate the full length of the pair of ygroups of tile in the lower layer, in'each in-V stance, and are disposed between the cross spacers or partitions I6. v l

In the upper layer of tile, a group is packed andanother spacer I'I` is inserted to separate the two groupsas with the groups in thelower layer'.

This upper spacer rests on the spaceror separator I8, in each instance. Y The upper edges of the spacers or partitions I 6 project above the upper edges of the upper layer of tile at I6 just as do the sheets I0 and. II, thereby enabling the cross partitions or spacers I6 to be readily grasped when the time arrives for withdrawing them. Y

The upper edges of the spacers or separators I' I need not project above the upper edges of the upper layer of the tile and they do not project above the upper edges of the lower layerV of tile,A as theyare not removed vprior tothel soakingv operation but are left'in position, for otherwise the package would become too loose.

Certain ones of the tile in one of the'end groups of the upper layer are enclosed in the loop of`a..strip.-I9. of suitable material, say;water.

proof paper, to permit these tile to be readily removed by the tile setter after the soaking operation so that the work of unpacking may progress.

The crate having been ypacked in the marmer described, the top liner I4 is laid on the upper layer of tile.

The top slats 8 are then loosely laid on the protector I4, with'their ends supported by the ends 2 of the crate but they are not nailed to the ends 2 at the time. This leaves the top-of the packed crate covered but accessible for inspection and permits stacking one packed crate on another, as in Figs. 7 and 9. The advantage of this feature in respect to inspection as to shade of the tile has previously been set forth.

When about to be shipped, the slats 6 are nailed down, or bound with steel strapping, with the top liner or protector I4 beneath them. Y

When the packed crate is on the job for use by the tile setter, he or his helper removes the top slats l and the top liner I4 and then completely pulls out of the crate the liner sheets vI0 and crosspartitions I6 and preferably also the liner sheets II. The spacers I'I are left in position. v

The removal of the sheets I0, II and I6 loosens up the closely packed tile and as the strips Il remain in position during the soaking operation, channels are provided for the water in the soaking tub to pass to the edges and between the faces of the tile to enable the tile to absorb through their unglazed backs, during the soaking operation, the necessary moisture so essential to proper settingwhen used by the tile setter.

The ribs I5 which are a common feature on the backs of tile, act as separators to keep the tile apart and enable the water to circulate.

Having thus conditioned the crate and its contents, the fully packed crate is bodily placed within the soaking tub and allowed to remain there for the usual period of about one-hour.

After adequate soaking, the crate is brought to the tile setter and stood on end with the strip I! uppermost as in Fig. 11. The ribs I5 are then arranged vertically, facilitating drainage from top to bottom of the crate. The'surplus water adhering to the tile then drains downwardly and enables the tile setter to start use of the tiles in the uppermost pair of groups after he has pulled out the tile which are removable by the Strip I9.

The unpacking progresses from top to bottom of the crate as the tile setter carries on his work.

When the upper layer of tile has been removed, the tile setter begins on the lower layer, starting at the top and working downward, as was done with the upper layer Y My method entirely does away with the step of unpacking the tile, putting them in thesoaking tub, and carrying them tothe tile setter in a carrier or loosely re-stacking them, thus saving a great deal of time, labor and expense.

The crate and method of packing shown in Figs. l2 and 13 in essential particulars corresponds with the crate and method of-packing previously described, except that the crate is wider and shallower, the tile packed is in a single layer, and the cross rows being longer, two of the spacers or cushions I'I are used for each cross row. y

The strips I8 are omitted because there is but one layer of tile` In view of the'size of the tile, which are either six by three inches or'six by sixinches, in lieu of thestrip I!,'blank inserts'l, which have projecting lupper edges 2l are used as fillers in what will be the uppermost'row of soaked tile, whosev removal enables the tile setter to easily start unpacking the top or en'd row of tile after the crateV and its tile contents haveA been subjected to theY to those previously described in connection with Figs. 4, 5, 6, 10, 1i.

vStatements' such as suitable or corrugated paper are intended to cover and include any packing medium or material or type or kind of paper or paper-board or sheet, whether single, double, pressed, corrugated, cellular, laminated, or otherwise, of such size and shape as to afford the proper protection where'used and which will serve thepurposes specified without, however, being of a character or nature which will, when soaked in water, emit a stain that will discolor the packed tile. Y

The liners 9, I0, II, I4 are so arranged as to exclude rain, dust and foreign material from the packed tile which they surround and to properly protect all parts of the tile between the wood slats, and at the bottom of the crate the liner 9 prevents the tile from protruding or falling out.

Preferably, the bottom liner 9 should be so arranged that its corrugations run crosswise of the crate because such arrangement locates the corrugations in the best position to withstand the weight of the tile above the open space I3.

What I claim is:

1. The method of handling tile, consisting, first, in packing the tile in a portable container in a manner securing free and unobstructed spaces between the `individual-tile, second, subjecting the tile to water while still packed in the portable container to supply their faces and edges with the necessary moisture for successful setting by the tile setter, third, unpacking the moisturebearing tile from the container for setting, commencing with the tiles which vare then uppermost in the container, followed by unpacking, in succession, the tiles therebelow, thus enabling the excess moisture to drain from the tile as unpacking progresses.

2. 'The method of handling tile, consisting, first, in packing the tile in separated groups in a waterpermeable portable container wherein free spaces are provided between the packed tile so that the water may have access to the juxtaposed faces of the tile, when admitted thereto, second, subjecting the tile to waterr while still packed in the water-permeable portable container, and, third, unpacking the moisture-bearing tile from the container i'or use at the point where they are to be set.

3. The method of handling tile, consisting, first, in packing the tile in a water-permeable portable container having an encompassing removable liner, second, removing the liner so that the water may have access to the tile, third, subjecting the tileto water while still packed in the water-permeable portable container, and, fourth,

unpacking the moisture-bearing tile from-the container for use at the point Where they are to be set.

4. The method of handling tile, consisting, rst, in packing the tile in groups in a water-permeable portable container having removable spacers or partitions between the groups, second, removing the spacers or partitions'so that the water may ,have access to the tile of the respective groups,

third, subjecting the tile to water While still packed in the water-permeable container, and, fourth, unpacking the moisture-bearing tile from the container for use atthe point where they are to be set. y

5. The method of handling tile, consisting, rst, in packing the tile in a water-permeable portable container having an encompassing removable liner and removable spacers or partitions between' the groups, second, removing the liner and the spacers or partitions so that the water may have access to the tile, third, subjecting the tile to water while still packed in the water-permeable container,ffourth, unpacking the moisture-bearing tile from the container for use at the point where they are to be set.

6. The method of handling tile, consisting, rst, in packing the tile in rows in a portable container, second, subjecting the tile to water while still packed in rows in the container, thereby moisture to drain from row to row as unpackingv progresses.

'7. Themethod of handling tile, consisting, first, in packing the tiley in rows in a container, with means self-contained therewith for loosening the packed tile for the passage of water therebetween, second, using said means to loosen the tile, third, admitting water to the spaces between the loosened tile while still packed in the portable container, to supply them with the necessary moisture for successful setting by the tile setter, fourth, unpacking the moisture-bearing tile from the container for use at the point where they are to be set.

8. The method of handling tile, consisting, first, in packing the tile in rows in a container with main and starting means self-contained therewith for loosening the packed tile for the passage of water therebetween, second, using the main means to loosen the tile, third, admitting water between the loosened tile while still packed in the portable container, to supply them with the necessary moisture for successfulsetting by theV tile setter, fourth, starting the unpacking of the tile from the Vcontainer by rst using the starting means to additionally loosen the tile vwhere the unpacking operation is to begin, fth, unpacking the moisture-bearing tile commencing with the tile in the region where they have been loosened for unpacking.

9. The method of storing tile, consisting in packing them in containers whose covers are unattached thereto, and stacking said covers on each Vother' vwhile their covers remain in unfastened.

condition, thereby permitting inspection of the contents of any packed container until'ready for shipment whereupon the covers of containers to be shipped are fastened in position.

HAROLD s. MCELROY. 

